Acetone extract of Bupleurum scorzonerifolium inhibits proliferation of A549 human lung cancer cells via inducing apoptosis and suppressing telomerase activity

• Published in: Life sciences (1973) 2003-09, Vol.73 (18), p.2383-2394
• Main Authors: Cheng, Yeung-Leung, Chang, Wen-Liang, Lee, Shih-Chun, Liu, Yau-Gye, Lin, Han-Ching, Chen, Cheng-Jueng, Yen, Chung-Yang, Yu, Dah-Shyong, Lin, Shinn-Zong, Harn, Horng-Jyh
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma - drug therapy; Adenocarcinoma - enzymology; Adenocarcinoma - pathology; Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; Bupleurum; Bupleurum - chemistry; Bupleurum radix; Cell Division - drug effects; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Humans; In Situ Nick-End Labeling; Lung cancer; Lung Neoplasms - drug therapy; Lung Neoplasms - enzymology; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Telomerase; Telomerase - metabolism; Tumor Cells, Cultured - drug effects; Tumor Cells, Cultured - enzymology; Tumor Cells, Cultured - pathology
• ISSN: 0024-3205; 1879-0631
• DOI: 10.1016/S0024-3205(03)00648-9

Bupleuri radix, a traditional Chinese herb, has been widely used to treat liver diseases such as hepatitis and cirrhosis. The acetone extract of Bupleurum scorzonerifolium (AE-BS) showed a dose-dependently antiproliferative effect on the proliferation of A549 human lung cancer cells. The IC 50 of AE-BS, i.e., the concentration required to inhibit proliferation of A549 cells, was 59 ± 4.5 μg/ml on day 1. The IC 50 of AE-BS for WI38 human normal lung fibroblast cells, however, was significant higher than that for A549 cells (150 ± 16 μg/ml, p< 0.01). After 72 hours of exposure, AE-BS (60 μg/ml) significantly reduced A549 cell proliferation to 33 ± 3.2% of control. In TUNEL assay, A549 cells treated with AE-BS showed typical morphologic features of apoptosis, and the percentage of apoptotic cells was approximately 38 % on day 1. In the TRAP assay, AE-BS-treated cells demonstrated significantly lower telomerase activity on day 3. This result indicates that the AE-BS could suppress the proliferation of lung cancer cells via inhibition of telomerase activity and activation of apoptosis.